Pin It Forward: What Home Means to Me

I'm excited to be a part of Victoria of sfgirlbybay's Pin It Forward project. Pin it Forward is a collaboration between Victoria and Pinterest--a visual bookmarking site. The theme is "what home means to you," and all 300 participants will share their photos and ideas about their idea of home. You can view the entire schedule here, and I'm passing the baton to Pretty Mommy, so be sure to check out her post tomorrow.

When I think about home, I think about moments. Whether it's cocktails on a Friday night or cake on a Sunday afternoon, most of my domestic energy is centered around spending time and sharing food with friends and family.

When I was growing up, we spent just about every Sunday at my grandparent's house. My grandmother baked multiple pies or cakes, and this ritual was one of the highlights of the weekend. I don't remember the art on her wall, the color of her dishtowels or the quality of her table, but I do remember that first bite of fluffy cake and the look of pride on my grandmother's face as she witnessed our pleasure.

That's not to say she didn't go the extra mile and serve her desserts on nice dishes, or take time to press the tablecloth. She cared very much about the ambiance in her home, but it was clear to me that her intentions were more about creating a beautiful, comfortable, welcoming space, than showcasing her baking skills or new bowl. There was a palpable genuineness to her efforts that was evident to anyone who ever sat at her table for a piece of cake.

It's that genuineness that I'm most inspired by, and strive for in my own home. I want my children to remember warm biscuits in the morning, my friends to remember laughing and sharing brownies on the patio, and my husband to fondly remember our afternoon coffee breaks.

My Pinterest pins remind me of cake on Sunday at my grandmothers, and of all the things that matter about a home.

22 comments

What a wonderful post. Dreamy images and memories. I hope my home creates these memories for other people as well. My Nana was in England and I grew up in Arizona. Summers at her house were magical and, as usual, times in the kichen are the magical of all.

Growing up, my home didn't have much love…so now I make sure to make my own home full of love and I definitely think of baking, cooking all day, hosting people, playing Rockband, etc as my ideas of "home."